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When Kendrick Nunn signed with the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, he likely only expected to stay there for one year. Nunn signed a one-year deal with a player option for a second, but given his prior production, that option was supposed to be a chance for him to hit free agency again after a productive year on a big-market contender. Instead, it's proving to be his lifeline. ...

If Nunn is the player the Lakers expected him to be, such a contract would still represent fairly positive value. Nunn averaged 15 points per game in two years as a starter for the Miami Heat, and while he's likelier to hold a bench role for the Lakers, the impending free agency of Malik Monk means that the Lakers could need a replacement as a ball-handling reserve guard. That is a role Nunn, if healthy, is fully qualified for.

If the Lakers plan to retain Monk or trade for another guard, Nunn's salary could also be useful in a trade. The Lakers have just two players making between the minimum and the maximum right now: Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker. If they want to get creative in fixing their roster this summer, having tradable salary is a good place to start.

How did he play?

Let’s take a look at Kendrick Nunn’s total statistics for the regular season. Examine them, review them, and come up with our own conclusions about how he played. I’ll explain what I think about his season afterward, but after all, I’m just another blog boy on a keyboard... your analysis might be just as good as mine!

0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 82 great outfits (I am not a fashion blogger I am just trying to be a little nice, and his fits were pretty great in my opinion)

Oct. 11: The Lakers list Kendrick Nunn on their injury report with a right ankle sprain.
Oct 21: Nunn’s right ankle sprain turns into a right knee bone bruise. The team announces he will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.
Nov. 15: After three weeks had passed, Frank Vogel indicated that Nunn was “still a ways away” and that he didn’t have a “specific update” on his injury.
Nov. 29: ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Zach Lowe indicate they’ve heard Nunn is “not close” to returning.
Dec. 6: Frank Vogel says it’s unlikely Nunn will play in 2021, setting January 2022 as the earliest he will make his debut. A Shams Charania report a week later says the same.
Dec. 17: There’s no indication this impacted his rehab, but adding illness to injury, Nunn hits COVID-19 health and safety protocols on a road trip following Austin Reaves’ game-winner in Dallas that turned out to be a bit of a super-spreader event for the team.
Jan. 18: A series of positive updates regarding Nunn’s return come in early January before Jan. 18 comes around with news that he’s suffered a setback and that he’s been “pulled back from his workload until it calms down,” according to Vogel.
Feb. 7-10: Just like in November, Vogel indicates Nunn is “not close” to returning on Feb. 7. The next day, Vogel indicates Nunn will not be coming back until March at the earliest with Rob Pelinka making it “late March” just a couple of days later.
Feb. 25: Vogel says Nunn has begun ramping up again.
Mar. 18: Vogel says there is no update on Nunn.
Mar. 29: During the TNT broadcast of the Lakers’ game against the Mavericks, Chris Haynes indicates that Nunn “is expected to sit out the remainder of the season to continue rehabbing.”

Eric Bieniemy wrote:Nunn will surprise many next year. He's the protypical PG-defender/combo guard to play alongside James in the same vain as Mo Williams and Irving.

Ball so hard wrote:

Eric Bieniemy wrote:Nunn will surprise many next year. He's the protypical PG-defender/combo guard to play alongside James in the same vain as Mo Williams and Irving.

I keep seeing this falsehood about Nunn being a good defender. Nunn is on the same level as Monk on defense. I miss the versatility we used to have on defense. KCP/Caruso/Kuz and even Schröder were all capable of guarding multiple positions.

stan francisco wrote:As long as RW is not a Laker next season, we have a shot.

euphorbus wrote:

stan francisco wrote:As long as RW is not a Laker next season, we have a shot.

Looks like they will keep Mr. Westbrook and his massive contract.

stan francisco wrote:As long as RW is not a Laker next season, we have a shot.

Landsberger wrote:Hey.... maybe we can add THT, Nunn and a as many firsts as the league will allow us to trade and get John Wall to go WITH Westbrook. Now that's a backcourt...

stan francisco wrote:

Landsberger wrote:Hey.... maybe we can add THT, Nunn and a as many firsts as the league will allow us to trade and get John Wall to go WITH Westbrook. Now that's a backcourt...

That’s a back court with absolutely no defense. First round exit.

Landsberger wrote:

stan francisco wrote:

Landsberger wrote:Hey.... maybe we can add THT, Nunn and a as many firsts as the league will allow us to trade and get John Wall to go WITH Westbrook. Now that's a backcourt...

That’s a back court with absolutely no defense. First round exit.

Hmm....

stan francisco wrote:

Landsberger wrote:

stan francisco wrote:
That’s a back court with absolutely no defense. First round exit.

Hmm....

I think I’m going to stop posting about basketball for a while. Basketball consists of two major components; offense and defense.

About 90% of all player discussions here only consider offense. The other part is not taken into account by most fans. Sadly.

John Wall is a defensive liability and so is obviously Russ. A back court of two matador guards who only play one end? First round exit for sure. I’m not kidding, no sarcasm. Against, Denver, Warriors, Utah, Dallas, Suns, LA Load Managers, are you planning on having no defensive frontline?

Luka is a perfect example. Ok, second round. You get the idea.

No defense, no rings. No rebounds, no rings. High turnovers, no rings. If an offensive star trio of players first focus on those three things in that order of priority, rings are a possibility.

Edit: John Wall and Russell Westbrook both need the ball bouncing under their palm on every possession for them to get excited. LeBron has the same tendency even if his intention with it is often to pass. It’s a horrible combo of three ball dominant players. I though this experiment ended with Lance Stephenson.

RamonSessions7 wrote:

stan francisco wrote:

Landsberger wrote:

Hmm....

I think I’m going to stop posting about basketball for a while. Basketball consists of two major components; offense and defense.

About 90% of all player discussions here only consider offense. The other part is not taken into account by most fans. Sadly.

John Wall is a defensive liability and so is obviously Russ. A back court of two matador guards who only play one end? First round exit for sure. I’m not kidding, no sarcasm. Against, Denver, Warriors, Utah, Dallas, Suns, LA Load Managers, are you planning on having no defensive frontline?

Luka is a perfect example. Ok, second round. You get the idea.

No defense, no rings. No rebounds, no rings. High turnovers, no rings. If an offensive star trio of players first focus on those three things in that order of priority, rings are a possibility.

Edit: John Wall and Russell Westbrook both need the ball bouncing under their palm on every possession for them to get excited. LeBron has the same tendency even if his intention with it is often to pass. It’s a horrible combo of three ball dominant players. I though this experiment ended with Lance Stephenson.

He was clearly being sarcastic. Both John wall and Westbrook have glaring issues besides their defense anyway